Where change happens!

About Us

Who we are

The Cameron County Juvenile Justice Department works closely with local law enforcement and with local school district police departments to seek justice for the citizens of Cameron County while endeavoring to redirect and rehabilitate juvenile offenders through our variety of facilities and programs. This department is given the task of prosecuting misdemeanor and felony crimes, truancy and runaway status offenses committed by juveniles (ages’ ten through seventeen) within the county.

Once adjudicated by the Cameron County Juvenile Justice System, a child may be placed on community supervision probation, at a boot camp facility, Court ordered rehabilitation programs, out of county placement, be committed to the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, or be certified to stand trial as adults when justice so demands.

We are the department WHERE CHANGE HAPPENS and we are proud to offer innovative methods and techniques to assist in the rehabilitation of our juveniles. As an entity of Cameron County, our mission is to deliver the finest service our county can offer. With intrinsic integration of many different community resources our department is consistently efficient and proud to offer such progressive services.

Guiding Principles

Based on our recent success with incorporating more treatment-based programs, our guiding principles stem from trust. We trust in the idea of treatment and rehabilitation and we trust our employees to provide the utmost professionalism and integrity when working with our juveniles.

Values

As a Department within Cameron County, our values branch from our County’s beliefs. “A Team Working to Serve You” is just the beginning of our department’s essence. Always having the word Service in mind, we also hold truth to value. We value family, we value our employees and mostly, we value our juveniles. Together as a team working to serve juveniles, we strive to educate, rehabilitate, and provide the best services we can to our community.

Testimonial – LIFE RTC Program

I participated in the LIFE Program as a consequence of my actions. When I first entered the program I disliked it and I had my mind set that I wasn't going to change. Until I saw these people weren't trying to hurt me, just help me and I slowly started to open up. I learned to fight for the right things, I learned patience and not let the little things mess up my day. While I was in LIFE we attended Mid Valley Academy and I had my mind set to receive my GED. Now, I'm just waiting on my last test results and when I turn 18, I want to work in Detention while I attend college. I want to work my way to the LIFE Program. This program has helped me so much and I would recommend this for girls who think there's nothing left in life. I am honored to have written this and thank you for helping me. I hope other girl’s lives will change too.
-Anonymous